Asia Cup Outrage: Taskin carries Dhoni's head

Image that has gone viral on social media...shows Bangladeshi fast-bowler Taskin Ahmed carrying the severed head of Indian limited-overs captain MS Dhoni (Pic: Twitter)

By

Ajanta Paul

PublishedSunday, March 06, 2016

MS Dhoni's side - who have won nine of their last 10 Twenty20 internationals - will start the final as favourites, but the Indian captain said nothing could be taken for granted, especially in the shortest format of international cricket.

Bangladesh cricket team hopes to cause a major upset in the Asia Cup final in Dhaka by trouncing favourite India.

But ahead of today's match a huge controversy has erupted after a Bangladeshi fan posted a photograph on social media that has gone viral.

The image shows Bangladeshi fast bowler Taskin Ahmed carrying the severed head of the Indian limited-overs captain MS Dhoni, triggering anger among Indian cricket fans.

Bangladesh's cricket fans' creativity with Photoshop has rubbed their Indian counterparts the wrong way and this time though, the 'joke' may have gone a bit too far.

However, India team director Ravi Shastri responded that they do not read newspapers and that their job was only to play cricket.

This, of course, is not the first time the country's fans or even the media have targeted the visiting team.

Picture published in a Bangladesh newspaper after Indian batsmen struggled against Mustafizur Rahman. (Pic: Twitter)

In 2015, after the Indian batsmen struggled against Mustafizur Rahman, who had made his debut during that series, a Bangladeshi newspaper posted a photo of half-shaved heads of Indian players, in order to show the after-effects of Mustafizur's 'cutters' or slow deliveries.

The rivalry had taken a fierce turn when Rohit was given not-out when caught off a delivery in the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup quarter-final.

Thereafter, for the first time Bangladesh defeated India 2-1 in a bilateral ODI series at home, wherein, Mustafizur Rahman tormented Indian batsmen.

On to cricket

Top-ranked India crushed Bangladesh by 45 runs in the opening match of the tournament, but the hosts have since executed a turnaround, winning three matches on the trot to qualify for the final.

Bangladesh's five-wicket win over Pakistan on Wednesday, watched by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from a packed gallery, sparked jubilation in the cricket-mad nation.

India - who have won nine of their last 10 Twenty20 internationals - will start the final as favourites, but Dhoni said nothing could be taken for granted, especially in the shortest format of international cricket.

His side are five-time winners of Asia Cup, which takes place every two years, although India's winning meets were all held in the previous 50-over one-day international format.

Hosts Bangladesh have qualified for the Asia Cup final only once in 2012, when they lost to Pakistan at home by just two runs.